Findlay & Lambe Reflect on Emotional 7-0 Home Farewell
IslandStats.com
The final home match of Bermuda's Concacaf World Cup 26 qualifying journey ended in a difficult 7-0 defeat to a rampant Curacao side, but the focus remained on the emotional farewell of national legend Reggie Lambe and the commitment of the squad to the future.
Bermuda Head Coach Michael Findlay acknowledged the painful scoreline but praised the players' continued motivation to compete at this elite level.
"We are all disappointed that we haven't been able to position ourselves to have the ultimate dream," Findlay said. "But we're still proud and very honoured to have been able to compete at this level against these teams... I think all the players are still motivated because they're still trying to establish themselves as a consistent selection for Bermuda".
Findlay emphasized the long-term vision, noting the crucial process of integrating youth into the team. "We now have players that have stepped up to the category. That's why it's nice to see youth coming in here to push against senior players," he stated.
The evening’s central moment was the final home appearance of Reggie Lambe. Findlay expressed his admiration for the retiring player: “Reggie Lambe is a legend in terms of what he’s done for Bermudian football... I hope they all celebrate him and congratulate him on his great service".
Lambe reflected on his decision to step down after a career spanning nearly two decades:
“It’s very emotional for me and I’m not really ready to call it quits, but I think it’s the right time for me,” Lambe shared. "I want to go out into the crowd and individually speak to people to show appreciation for everyone who supported me throughout my years".
Curacao, who had only been leading 2-0 at the break after two goals from the Bacuna brothers, relentlessly increased the pressure in the second half.
Goal 2 (32nd min): Juninho Bacuna blasted a shot past Dale Eve to double the lead. Goal 3 (48th min): Halftime substitute Jordi Paulina scored from the penalty spot, having been fouled in the box. Goal 4 (59th min): Sontje Hansen extended the lead to 4-0. Goal 5 (63rd min): Paulina followed up a save from substitute goalkeeper Detre Bell to net his second goal from close range. Goal 6 (83rd min): Another substitute, Ar'jany Martha, made it 6-0 with a 20-yard free-kick. Goal 7 (90'+3 min): In stoppage time, Roshon van Eijma let fly with a powerful long-range shot that secured the final score of 7-0.
The result, though disappointing, provides a clear benchmark for the young Bermudian squad as they look towards the next qualifying cycle starting in 2026.
Thursday, November 13, 2025
Bermuda Fall to Heavy Defeat against Curacao
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Bermuda 0 Cuaracao 7
Bermuda's final home match of the Concacaf World Cup 26 qualifying campaign ended in a heavy 7-0 defeat to a dominant Curacao side at the Flora Duffy South Field Stadium. The match was an emotional occasion for the home fans, who saw legend Reggie Lambe lead the team out for his final international appearance on home soil.
The Final Round of the Concacaf Qualifiers will determine the region’s remaining participants in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, joining co-hosts Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Curacao asserted their dominance from the start, controlling 66.8% of the possession in the first half. The scoring began in the 6th minute when Bermuda fell victim to the VAR system, the referee, after reviewing a possible handball, awarded a penalty that Leandro Bacuna calmly slotted home.
The lead was doubled in the 32nd minute when Juninho Bacuna blasted a shot past a diving Dale Eve. Eve kept the game respectable with three amazing saves as Curacao took a 2-0 lead to the break.
The second half saw Curacao relentlessly increase the pressure and the scoreline. Just three minutes after the restart in the 48th minute, halftime substitute Jordi Paulina scored from the spot after being fouled in the box. Sontje Hansen made it 4-0 in the 59th minute.
Following a string of Bermudian substitutions, including the poignant exit of Reggie Lambe in the 62nd minute, Paulina secured his second of the night, following up a save from substitute goalkeeper Detre Bell to make it 5-0.
Another substitute, Ar'jany Martha, added the sixth with a 20-yard free kick that Bell could not keep out. The rout was completed in the second minute of stoppage time when Roshon van Eijma let fly with a long-range shot that found the back of the net, making the final score 7-0.
Curacao finished the match with 69% of the possession and a massive 11 corners, reflecting their total control over the contest.
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
Bermuda FIFA Officials Oversee Cayman Islands Friendly
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Two of Bermuda's top match officials, FIFA Assistant Referee Stefan Maybury and Referee Amaury Majors, were on international duty in the Cayman Islands, officiating the friendly match between the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands (BVI) at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex.
The presence of the Bermudian officials at the neutral venue underscores the high regard in which their skills are held by CONCACAF and regional football bodies.
Maybury served as the Assistant Referee, taking responsibility for offside calls and foul play along the touchline.
Majors served as the Fourth Official, overseeing the technical areas and substitutions.
The match was an intense contest, with both teams looking to gain momentum. The British Virgin Islands team ultimately secured a narrow 2-1 victory, surprisingly coming back in the final stretch after trailing on the scoreboard.
The Cayman Islands took the lead in the first half after a shot from outside the area. However, the BVI team rallied in the second half, securing the equalizer and then scoring the winning goal from a penalty converted in the 84th minute after a foul inside the box. The dramatic late action ensured the visitors managed to prevail.
Monday, November 10, 2025
Morrison Replaces Injured Richardson in National Squad
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The Bermuda Football Association (BFA) announced that there has been a change to the Senior Men’s Team for the November CONCACAF Qualifiers.
Brighton Morrison has been drafted into the Senior Men’s national team. Morrison’s inclusion is due to an injury sustained by Kieron Richardson in his most recent match. The injury is serious enough that he has had to withdraw.
Coach Findlay commented on this latest development by saying: “It is unfortunate as we consider Kieron to be an important part of our squad now and in the future. We wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to his return. In his place, we have called up Brighton Morrison from Benamocarra CF U23 program in Spain. Brighton was a member of the Gold Medal Bermuda Island Games team from this past July under the leadership of John Barry Nusum from the senior men’s technical staff, and comes to us as a developing prospect for future senior men’s national team programming.
Morrison plays both CB and FB positions and provides us with another opportunity to assess and evaluate additional players from our long list within a competitive environment at the international level.”
Friday, November 07, 2025
FIFA Turmoil Infantino Accuses of Violating Neutrality Rule
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FIFA is once again facing questions regarding the conduct of its leadership after a former senior executive accused President Gianni Infantino of potentially violating the governing body's Code of Ethics by publicly expressing support for US political actions.
Miguel Maduro, the former chairman of FIFA’s governance committee, suggested Infantino stepped over the line of political neutrality with recent comments made at the American Business Forum in Miami.
During the event, Infantino praised President Donald Trump, stating, "I think we should all support what he’s doing because I think it’s looking pretty good."
Maduro told The Athletic that while a FIFA President can recognize the legitimacy of an election result, Infantino went too far in endorsing a political programme.
"The final part of his statement does more than recognize the legitimacy of President Trump. It endorses his political programme and actions and argues others should support them too. He is taking a position in what is an internal political debate in the U.S," Maduro asserted.
He added that to remain politically neutral requires an official "not to take a position on that political debate, much less to argue that all should support President Trump’s policies. To do so appears a clear violation of the duty of political neutrality imposed on any FIFA official by Article 15 of its Code of Ethics."
The official FIFA Code of Ethics is explicit regarding the principle of political neutrality:
"In dealings with government institutions, national and international organizations, associations and groupings, persons bound by this Code shall... remain politically neutral, in accordance with the principles and objectives of FIFA..."
Violation of this article is subject to severe sanctions, including an appropriate fine of at least CHF 10,000 and a ban on taking part in any football-related activity for a maximum of two years.
The accusation comes years after the United States led an investigation and prosecution of several FIFA Executives, throwing the organization into turmoil. Now, with the US preparing to co-host the 2026 World Cup, the FIFA President finds himself once again in hot water within his own organization over his political commentary.
